Aion

That's what I want to know about.  "Customization" has become the description giving to how you can make your character LOOK upon creation.  Cool, yes, but not entirely necessary.

I want to know if there are lots of difference concerning the development of your character.  When I'm level 25 of a certain class, am I going to have the same skills and abilities as another character of the same class and level?  Are they going to be just a little different than each other based on miniscule stats from items (agi increasing crit chance, etc)? 

Is it going to be the same as every other asian "grindfest" freebie out there with 1 or 2 skills to start out with, and you use either to level them up, and spend a point to get the new more powerful skill (same as before, just more powerful)?

Or by any chance is it more similar to the best development systems ever implemented, Anarchy Online?  Tons of skill points to invest in tons of skills, which increase the function of your existing abilities and enable you to aquire new abilities?  You could be the same level and class as someone else, but depending on how you spent your points, you would have different abilties. 

I don't expect it to be like AO, really.  But I would like to hear it's at least different from the simpleton systems used today. 

Please explain in detail if you know.   Thanks.

I think it's your tipical starting with 2 or more skills at start and you living them by using the, and you get more skills as you level but they will be the same as the other person of the same class. The only unique thing that will make you different is something called Stigmas, you will have 5 empty slots where you can place skills from other classes of your own, and that is where you can surprise the other person in PvP and what not since no one would know what skills you have chosen for your Stigmas.

I don't think it's like AO, but still kind of unique for an Asian developed game ( I think! )

Not sure if there is more that I don't know about, so someone correct me if I was wrong :)

Skills:

Each class has its own set of 80+ skills.

Each skill level up individually (by using it) to a max lvl of 9 and you can acquire new skills from Trainer/mobloot.

With stigmas on higher levels, you have the ability to use certain skills of other classes aswell. Your playstyle is not restricted by specified roles, you can use what you want.

Each class has different kind of  skill-chains, basically if you want to specialize yourself, you can do that by using the appropriate skill-chains during fights.

Attributes, stats, weps, armors:

You can basically customize every piece of things on you, you can enchant your weapons 2 different ways, your clothes,  even your wings.

There are 6 main characteristics, and numerous sub-attributes under them (phys def, mag def, phys crit, resist of poison, etcetcetc), which all can be altered by upgrading your gear.

However!

While you have quite many options to customize your character by altering your stats and changing your gear, in Aion, everything comes down to your playstyle.

Gear and stats have less purpose in this game, your success is mostly depends on your playing skills.

  At start, all players are quite similar, but as you level, you gain access to more and more options to alter your character and help you being unique in this game.

For more info on things, visit aionsource.com!

Dont forget the stigma system, you can take abilities from other classes and use them. Think mage in plate.

I have to say, it doesn't sound too bad. :)  I'm actually quite curious about this game now.  Thanks guys for your input.

What i found odd, is the chanter and cleric go to the same NPC to buy there skills ( they being in the same class group). For my chanter I noticed I could buy some cleric skill books ( the one's that I could not where colored in red). I'm wondering if I could mix in a few cleric skills with my chanter skills inorder to make my character unique for my play style ?